


A Closer Look

by TitiSquish



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birdflash - Freeform, M/M, multi-faceted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2013-10-30
Packaged: 2017-12-30 10:57:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1017767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TitiSquish/pseuds/TitiSquish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wally and Dick are sent on a covert mission to the most incognito place in America: Hollywood, California. While on Investigation, attention is drawn to a bit more at than just clues and criminals.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Closer Look

**Author's Note:**

> This is a complete experiment. I'm just going to see where this goes.

Somehow, and he wasn’t sure how, the air felt pastel. Thick and sweet, the breeze passed across Wally’s face and tickled his arms. A soft squeeze on his hand drew his attention to a figure beside him. It seemed like his vision was somewhat lagging, but when he focused his eyes he could see startlingly clear. There stood his best friend, beaming and clutching Wally’s hand. Warmth spread through his chest, as vivid as the red of the shirt stretched across Dick’schest and as stark as the contrast between the boy’s pale face and his jet black hair. He felt like he could run forever while staring into the  Dicks unmasked, brilliant blue eyes. A chuckle bubbled up from within his chest and a grin grew across his freckled face. Wally’s grip on Dick’s hand tightened and the moment seemed to last forever.

The vision was interrupted by a jarring scream. The white and pastel light faded and he was surrounded by darkness. The scream repeated over and over, driving Wally further into his bedsheets. He had just had a dream… A wonderful dream, he could tell. As the sound of his alarm clock continued to blare, it seemed like the memory of the dream faded more and more. Prickles of contempt swarmed up Wally’s back as he glared into the soft fabric. The dream was gone. This had happened every morning this week. At last he had heard enough of the alarm clock. He sat up with a heavy sigh and stretched across the wide mattress to turn off the damned piece of technology.

_I’m all for science but there are some innovations I really wish hadn’t been thought of._  
The better part of Wally’s day went as per his norm. A quick shower, then a heaping pile of pancakes, what felt like a century spent in school, a lunch grand enough to feed the football team, and finally the sweet freedom of the final bell. Back at home a few snacks were wolfed down, all before the clock chimed three o’clock. Wally lagged around the house, catching the first fifteen minutes of a T.V. re-run of Saturday Night Live. He flicked the program off with a huff, regretting having turned it on. Checking the clock again, Wally chewed on his lower lip. There was supposed to be a meeting today and as much as he’d rather indulge the craving for slapstick humor, the thought of being late to a team meeting involving Batman made his stomach churn.

Consequently it was only moments later that Kid Flash, rather than Wally West, stood in the center of his room. As he slipped the identity-concealing mask over his face, Wally’s thoughts wandered, much like they often did. He mused over how many members of the Justice League took their identities, or more specifically, their alter egos to heart. He had seen a few of the League members out of costume and the experience had been unique every time. Martian Manhunter and M’Gann really hadn’t seemed to change much, but a few of the others held startling differences. Even his uncle Barry adopted a different attitude, even if the change was only slight.

He caught the reflection of his own eyes as he slipped his goggles securely over his mask. Wally wondered briefly if perhaps he changed when he put the mask on. Outside within moments, he paused and focused his vision on the terrain ahead of him to map out a pathway. The idea that something so simple as a mask might change his demeanor seemed a little preposterous. In fact, he almost felt unique against the others on his team for the feeling that he was the only one to maintain the same charming, if not snarky personality no matter what. He hunkered down in a runners stance to gain traction again. Perhaps that’s why he preferred M’Gann and Robin over the other members of the team. The Martian seemed like the only other honest person in the room and, well, Robin had never revealed his alter ego so there was nothing to compare him to.

In a blur of yellow, Wally was gone, leaving his house empty and waiting for his return. Moments later he reappeared at Mount Justice. The hidden sensors recognized his presence at the back door and the earth began to lower. The platform settled to reveal a passage in to the complex. An all-too-familiar voice chimed around the echoing halls, informing the inhabitants of Kid’s entry. Voices of his team-mates grew louder as he approached the main room. It sounded like there was some kind of a debate going on. Speeding up on curiosity, Wally reached the threshold of the main room in the next few milliseconds. He propped himself against the wall as if he had been there the whole time and immediately tuned in to the drama. Robin sat turned around on the couch, one arm reaching over the side in an exasperated gesture as he confronted a very ticked-off looking Artemis. The Archer was leaning, arms folded, against the kitchen counter.

"-and all I’m saying is that if we were to go right in and ambush them, we’d lose a valuable opportunity." Robin stated strongly. Artemis scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"A valuable opportunity to do what? Sit on our asses for another ten hours while we wait for them to open the doors again?"

"An opportunity to Bug them!" Robin exclaimed, as if this had been obvious from the start. "If we take them in for an interrogation then we; one, might get not get all of the information to be considered; two, cause an uproar right outside the building; and three, we give ourselves away. We need these suckers to stay in the program; we can’t just turn them over to the authorities."

"And why not?" Artemis barked, "We should cut down their numbers while we have the chance and take down the corporation while those doors are wide open to let us in! You saw the security for yourself, Rob, and you said that it might take you days to hack into that system."

Wally cleared his throat, breaking the tense atmosphere that had grown high in the room. Robin sighed and looked over.

“Welcome home.” He said rather sarcastically. 

“So cozy.” He replied with his shoulders pulled up to his ears and sarcasm to match. “Seriously, what’s going on?” He looked between the two heroes prompting for a quick answer.

"Boy Wonder here wants us to forgo the infiltration into Xerxes." Artemis said with a matter-of-fact tone. The way her hip stuck out to the side with one arm accusedly extended towards Robin told him above all doubt that she was completely against this idea. Robin in response huffed and began to explain himself in exasperation.

"That would be true if it weren’t exactly the opposite of what I’m trying to say. If we bug our target before he gets into the building then I can work up means to break their firewall and get access to all of the files we need. Miss Armageddon here wants us to invade the office and force them to hand over the documents." He had turned back to face Artemis, both glaring at the other.

"O…kay…" He hesitated before continuing. " And Xerxes is…?"

Artemis flipped her hair and let out a groan of impatience. “The Corporation brought to our attention when we found out that they were a huge support for Cadmus Labs right about when Conner was… grown or… whatever. You would know this if you ever paid attention.” She looked him up and down and set her jaw like she was about to go on about the state of his clothes or something. Wally raised his hands in surrender.

“Point taken.” He chirped, glancing at Robin. The boy had a look on his face that translated to 'this is what I've been dealing with'. Wally tilted his head back towards the archer and cotinued, "...And might I say, babe, your plan sounds like a lot of fun. But… do we have any real proof that they’re a threat?"

"That’s my entire point!" Burst out Robin.

Artemis opened her mouth, but no words came our. After a moment her eyes narrowed and she scowled. In a voice that could curdle milk, she muttered  ”No…”

Wally’s face off-set into an expression of skepticism. Artemis held his gaze for a full six seconds before tossing her head and whipping around. ” Fine!” She exclaimed while stalking off. Wally’s face cracked into a smile as he watched her go. He knew that Artemis, above everyone else, hated admitting that she was wrong. Robin snorted, obviously amused at her reaction.

"So what was all of that about?" Wally mused, pushing himself off the wall and meandering towards his best friend. Robin shook his head and turned straight in the couch cushion. "I bet she’s been spending too much time with Green Arrow." The boy said in a satisfactory tone as he settled further into the couch. Wally hummed as if to agree, but then asked, "what’s wrong with Green Arrow?"

"Nothing I guess, but have you ever actually spent time with the guy? He’s practically as intense as Batman but with… less morals I guess. In a way."

Wally lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve spent one-on-one time with Arrow? ” Robin shrugged and opened his mouth a little slower, hesitating by a millisecond. “Well, no, but I read through all of Batman’s files.” The millisecond’s remorse he showed for hacking his partner’s computer was mostly covered with cocky satisfaction over his achievement. Wally leaned over the back of the couch, propping his elbows against the stiff board. “Wait, Batman’s files? He has files on the League members?”

"Duh. Not just on them either; on everyone." Robin’s signature grin peeled across his face. " You can imagine yours."

His file? There was a file about Wally West on Batman’s computer? That was slightly unsettling. Batman, of all people, had sat down and… Knowing the guy, He’d probably dissected Wally’s fifteen years of life and taken the time to jot down anything and everything as notes relevant to something like his psyche or… something. Though at the same time that this was an uncomfortable thought, he couldn’t imagine anything that could have been in his file that would justify the smug expression on Robin’s face. The smile was even more unsettling.

The two boys lounged in the main room for another ten minutes before the Zeta tubes began firing up. They both looked up in time to witness Batman materialize in the flashing light. As the Zeta tube began to die down, he seemed to glide forward, a dark cloak enveloping the mans entire body. Wally reveled in how, even in the well lit room, the looming figure still seemed like some kind of animated shadow. “Call the rest of the team for a meeting.” He commanded with no sign of wanting to give a formal greeting. Robin immediately and wordlessly got up from his seat on the couch. Wally zoomed to a small control panel set into the wall and poked a wide green button. Afterwards he lined up beside Robin to wait for the rest of the team to heed the call.

M’Gann and Conner were the first to appear, still in civilian clothing. M’Gann floated over and looked as though she were about to take place beside Wally, but Conner stepped between them. M’Gann didn’t seem to notice, or at least to care, and landed gently beside the hulking teen. Artemis emerged soon after and took place on the opposite end from Robin. Batman looked over the regimen, missing only Kaldur who was currently on a mission in Atlantis, and turned his back to them. A holo-screen erupted before them and cast an image of the United States across the room. Two small red dots appeared on the map, both locations separated far across the country.

"I’m calling the team in for some investigative work over these coordinates." The Dark Knight’s voice was cold and emotionless. To Wally, he seemed to drone on forever. These meetings almost always bored him to tears. Honestly, he’d rather skip it and have Robin fill him in on it later.

"Over the past few weeks, The league has been given enough reason to suspect a small organization off the coast of Southern California of nefarious activities. We want Robin and Kid Flash to  investigate further. The organization is located near the slums of Hollywood and is suspected to have ties to Ra’s Al Ghul.Investigate thoroughly and above all, remain undetected. Full mission specs will be downloaded into your computers.” Beside Wally, Robin seemed to sink. Wally’s attention had been brought back to focus once he heard Batman mention Hollywood. Now this mission seemed interesting.

"Miss Martian, The League want’s you and Artemis to take over the investigation into Xerxes. That should only take one night. Once you upload the Trojan into their system and obtain their files, the League is requesting you to attend to an underground gathering centering around Queen Bee. Find out what she’s planning and shut it down."

Robin curled his hands into fists and shot a glance across the line-up. Wally followed his line of sight and saw Artemis giving his friend possibly the the most smug look she could muster. The team continued to look amongst themselves, meeting the gaze of their partners and silently exchanging thoughts with the others. Wally looked to his side to see that only Conner had kept his gaze locked onto Batman.

"And me?" Prompted the psuedo-Kryptonian. The rest of the team ceased their muffled excitement and returned to attention. Batman turned to face Conner head on.

"Superboy, your presence has been requested by Clark Kent in Metropolis." The other members of the team seemed to fall still and stare at Conner. M’Gann was openly Grinning, but Conner seemed like he didn’t get it. "Who?" He asked abrasively.

"Superman. He’s requested you to appear incognito at his office this Friday at 17:00. Bring civilian clothes."

The words echoed around the resounding silence that followed in their wake. Only moments later did some kind of alert light up on Batman’s utility belt.  He muttered ‘dismissed’ and began to sweep away, leaving Conner standing with his jaw hanging open. Robin looked equally panicked. Just as the younger boy opened his mouth to say something, Batman turned.

"Any questions will have to be answered over Com." He looked, or glowered, (Wally couldn’t tell the difference) at Robin. They seemed to communicate more effectively than Wally could try to understand because Robin had relaxed with a grim resignation a second later. Once more Batman turned back to the Zeta tube.

"Good luck."  The words continued to echo through the cave after the man had gone.

A shrill squeal pierced the empty air and a commotion directly beside him ended up invading Wally’s space.  He instinctively took a step back, bumping into Robin as he did so. M’Gann had thrown herself into Conner’s arms and was now trilling about Conner’s ‘father-son date’ with Superman.

"There’s no guarantee that’s what it’s about-" he said awkwardly, his brow furrowing.

"Are you kidding? Hello, _Conner_!! This is the first step!”

From across the line-up, Artemis gave a triumphant “Humph!” and whipped around. Robin glared at her, his intense gaze following the green-clad girl as shestrut out of the room. Why was he…? Something clicked in Wally’s mind and he suddenly understood why Robin seemed so annoyed.

"Sorry you were taken of the Xerxes thing, Rob." He said sympathetically. Robin shrugged and shook his head.

"No big deal. Hey, we’re going to Hollywood. Who wants to sit hours on end to stakeout an old lab anyway?" He responded with a sly grin, but Wally knew that the answer to that question. It was Robin. For reasons unbeknownst to him, Robin would probably have greatly enjoyed the stake-out. He jabbed his elbow into the younger boy’s side with a grin. 

"Well you might be caught up on the stake-outs,but  I’m excited about the steak _house_. Or, houses to be more accurate.” At this, Robin lifted a masked eyebrow. Wally wagged his own two brows back at his friend and the boy sighed in defeat. Wally pumped his fist and hissed “Yessss” at what he took as a promised outing to a Hollywood steak-house.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be updated as the fic goes on. I have no idea what's going to be in it for I am at the mercy of my muse.


End file.
